The Central and East European
Coalition (CEEC), representing more than 20 million Americans whose heritage
lies in that region, regularly highlights legislation to share its concerns
and ideas with the United States Congress and Administration. The legislation listed below reflects our
concerns for the region and we advocate for the support of our Senators and Representatives.

CEEC Statement on Sen. John McCain

CEEC and it's organizations have often met with Sen. McCain over the years.

July 27, 2017

In light of the unexpected recent news about his health, the Central and East European Coalition wishes Sen. John McCain
well in his fight with cancer. We express thanks to the Senator for his dedicated support for allies in Europe. A great friend
to the region, and an outstanding public servant, his record upholds American values, and he serves as a role model for all.

Sincerely,

The Central East and European Coalition

###

[The CEEC has submitted the following questions to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in advance of the January 11, 2017 nomination hearing of Mr. Rex Wayne Tillerson

of Texas, to be Secretary of State]

Questions
for the Senate Hearing to Confirm the

Nomination
for Secretary of State

2017

The Central and East European Coalition is comprised of 18 national
membership organizations that represent more than 22 million Americans who
trace their heritage to Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). We advocate
for issues of key importance and interest to our
respective constituencies, in particular matters that affect the
stability and well-being of Central and Eastern Europe as well
as U.S. strategic interests in the region.

As
Secretary of State, what would your strategy be to deal with Russian aggression
in Ukraine and other Russia-related threats in Central and Eastern
Europe? How do you
propose addressing Russia's perceived "spheres of influence" or
national interests versus another country's territorial integrity and
national interests? What options would you employ to achieve
Russia’s withdrawal from lands it unlawfully controls, such as Crimea, eastern
Ukraine, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria?

2. What is
your position on the sanctions against Russia with respect to both Ukraine and Crimea?

3. How do
you view NATO’s role in countering Russian aggression? What is your
position on maintaining U.S./NATO equipment and troops permanently in CEE?
Please provide specifics.

4. Where do
you stand on NATO enlargement, to include countries such as Georgia and
Ukraine?

5. What is
your position on the Visa Waiver Program’s expansion to include other CEE
countries, such as Poland? How would you make that happen?

6. Considering
Russia's long history of using gas and oil as means of political and economic
pressure, what is your position on U.S. assistance to ensure energy
security and independence in the CEE region?

7. What
should the Administration's priorities be on countering and exposing foreign
disinformation, cyber-, and information warfare? How can the U.S. be more effective in
fighting on this front? What interagency efforts are needed to be more
successful?

8. What is
your position on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP)? Are you in favor of
moving forward with these negotiations? If so, what do you think are the key
provisions that would benefit the U.S.?

9. Do you consider Russia’s
policies toward Central and Eastern Europe as being inimical or at least
potentially inimical to U.S. national interests? If so, what concrete Russian
policies do you consider as being contrary to U.S. geo-political interests in
the region. How will the Trump administration address Russian policies in
furtherance of its plans to make America great again?

10. Do you believe that U.S.
interests are best served and cement long-standing friendships when Washington
publicly lectures Central and Eastern European NATO allies about their internal
matters, as the current Administration has done?

11. As a Co-Chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group, the United States plays a critical role in maintaining stability
in the South Caucasus region through its mediation of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. While OSCE Co-Chairs have determined there is no military solution to
the conflict, Azerbaijan continues to violate the 1994/5 cease-fire agreements
and has committed ISIS-style atrocities. How will you hold Azerbaijan
accountable for its actions and ensure a peaceful and just resolution to this
conflict?

12. 2015 marked the centenary
of the Armenian Genocide, which was condemned as a crime against humanity by the
Allied Powers as it occurred, but which Turkey denies to this day. Pope Francis
publicly affirmed the Armenian Genocide stating it is an open wound that must
be healed. What steps will you take to end its denial and reaffirm the proud
chapter in U.S. diplomatic history to help save the survivors of the first
genocide of the twentieth century?

###

CEEC Hosts Successful Policy Forum on Russia’s Information War

By Karin Shuey

(Washington, DC - October 3, 2016) --- The Central and East European Coalition hosted a timely and substantive event on Thursday, September 15, to discuss the topic “Russia’s Info War: What is the Impact?” A panel of four distinguished experts shared their views of and experiences with the issue. Panel members were David Ensor, former Voice of America Director; Jeffrey Gedmin, former director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL); Liz Wahl, former correspondent for RT America; and Marius Laurinavicius, Hudson Institute Baltic-American Freedom Foundation Fellow. The panel was moderated by Mamuka Tsereteli of the Georgian Association in the U.S.A. and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Discussion of the problem revolved around several themes, including declining journalistic standards, our flawed understanding of Russia’s strategic goals, and lack of clarity on U.S. goals. The speakers noted that we are living in a post-factual world where we’re becoming numb to shock value. The rules of journalism and regard for truth that guided the news media in the past are losing significance while public trust of the media and discrimination regarding reliable sources are also fading.

On the Kremlin’s goals, it was noted that propaganda has always been a part of Russian and Soviet military doctrine. Russia calls its latest arsenal new generation warfare, fighting a total war on numerous fronts, to include political, economic, energy, cyber and information, in addition to more conventional military operations. The speakers saw a gap in U.S. policy that doesn’t fully recognize the broad extent of Putin’s aggression or his efforts to divide and weaken Europe and minimize or eliminate U.S. influence in the region.

Another U.S. shortcoming was identified as our loss of what we stand for. Putin may be playing a weak hand, but he’s finding his way because we’ve lost ours. One aspect of this is our still treating as valid agreements that Russia broke long ago. We need to clarify our foreign policy goals and employ the right tools, rooted in accurate, reliable info. The recent trend in rising relativism is diluting our values and objectivity.

The event concluded with proposed steps for moving forward. Renewed confidence in the media and making facts matter again, among the producers of the news and consumers, was a top concern. One speaker observed that Putin must know Russia’s population is interested in the truth; otherwise he wouldn’t expend so much effort on containing and oppressing it. There’s a large audience for RFE/RL and local media outlets to use the internet to present objective truth in an effort to counteract the Kremlin’s control over state media. While there was consensus that recovering objectivity and values could be a long-term battle, on a more positive note, Western governments are growing more aware of the problems and working on effective ways to address them.

The CEEC was established to coordinate the efforts of ethnic organizations whose members continue to maintain strong cultural, economic, political, and religious ties to the countries of Central and East Europe. It represents Americans of Armenian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, Georgian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, and Ukrainian descent. Its member organizations cooperate in calling attention to issues of mutual concern, especially as regards United States policy toward Central and East Europe.

CEEC Statement on NATO

The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC), representing more than 20 million Central and Eastern European Americans, strongly backs the United States' continued unconditional commitment to upholding the NATO Treaty as well as U.S. support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all Central and Eastern European nations. Our organization stands firm in its belief that America's close cooperation with all NATO allies and partners is fundamental to ensuring U.S. and European security. The CEEC urges both the current and future Administrations to continue developing allied relations with all NATO members and transatlantic partners, and to take such action as deemed necessary to maintain security of the Alliance, including the European Reassurance Initiative.

The renewed aggressive behavior and actions of Russia against Central and Eastern European nations have raised the importance of NATO’s credibility and cohesiveness for regional stability. In February 2016, then-NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Philip Breedlove stated at a hearing of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee that "Russia has chosen to be an adversary and poses a long-term existential threat to the United States and to our European allies and partners.” Earlier this year the CEEC sponsored a policy forum on NATO’s stance on Russia on Capitol Hill. A major theme of our discussion characterized Russia’s increasing aggression since 2008 not only in terms of fanning regional conflicts but as a fundamental assault on the post-World War II international order.

At the Warsaw Summit in July 2016, NATO stated it was fully prepared to defend the alliance and pledged an increase in military spending, in response to Russia’s unpredictable and aggressive behavior in the region. The CEEC believes the commitment by the United States to NATO countries should be based on collective defense, shared values, and democratic principles, as well as support for regional partners. We have, and continue to support the principle of NATO’s Open Door policy, for all willing and qualified nations.

The Central and Eastern European region is facing a multitude of threats from Russia. It is imperative for NATO members and partners to share collective knowledge in key security areas for combating a multitude of hybrid war forms, including cyber, media and economic manipulation, and destabilization in energy security. The CEEC supports U.S. continued commitment and leadership in addressing these threats.

The security of the United States lies in the peaceful expansion of democracy, not in the appeasement of aggressor states making imperial claims. Proactive U.S. leadership is vital to NATO’s continued effectiveness, to protect peace and security in Europe. The crisis driven by Russia in Central and Eastern Europe, and in Ukraine specifically, will not just go away. In an informationally interconnected and economically interdependent world, the United States must take the lead in promoting international norms and consolidating geopolitical stability.

The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC), representing
more than 20 million Americans, regularly issues Policy Papers to share
concerns and ideas with the United States Congress and Administration.

UKRAINE

Support the creation of a Center for Information Analysis and Response,
which would lead and coordinate the collection and analysis of information on
foreign government information warfare efforts (S. 2692, H.R. 5181).

Assist military and national security forces of Ukraine, and provide defensive
weapons to the government of Ukraine and other East European countries

Demand withdrawal of covert and overt Russian forces and equipment from
Ukraine and compliance with cease-fire agreements.

Strengthen sanctions as necessary to achieve compliance with cease-fire
agreements and withdrawal of covert and overt Russian forces and equipment from
Ukraine as set forth in (S. 1356).

Demand that the President provide Ukraine with defensive equipment,
services, and training in order to counter offensive weapons and reestablish
its sovereignty and territorial integrity (H.R. 5859, enacted on December 18,
2014).

Enact Stability and Democracy
(STAND) for Ukraine Act (H.R. 5094), which clarifies the position of the United
States on Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea, tightens sanctions on Russia,
and drives new innovations to provide support for Ukraine.

Ensure that Magnitsky Act sanctions against the Putin regime are fully
implemented. The United States should closely monitor human rights and
corruption issues in the Russian Federation as required by the Magnitsky Act.

Ensure that U.S. international broadcasting and social media efforts
effectively counter Russian disinformation, and support freedom of the press (S.
2517, S.Res. 152, H.R. 2323, H.R. 2242).

Call on the President to work toward equitable, constructive, stable, and
durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkey's full
acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide,
and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime
against humanity (H.Res. 154).

Promote democracy by supporting minority rights of ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities and combating manifestations of intolerance, such as
anti-Semitism.

U.S. ASSISTANCE
TO AND PROMOTION OF REGIONAL DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

Join the Congressional Caucus on Central and East Europe.

Enhance FMF and IMET funding levels for CEE countries.

Support robust funding for the countries of Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine,
and continued assistance to promote democracy in Belarus.

Maintain funding for educational and cultural exchange programs.

TRADE AND
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Support U.S. policies that strengthen the ability of CEE countries to
better integrate into Western institutions (S. 1725, S. 995, S. 2130, S. 1890, S.
2772).

Monitor TTIP negotiations to ensure that the agreement mutually benefits
the United States and the countries of the CEE region (H.Res. 73).

Support development and export of clean energy technology to CEE
countries (H.R. 1175).

BLACK RIBBON
DAY

Enact legislation to designate August 23rd as Black Ribbon Dayto honor those who lost their lives, were tortured or deported,
lost their property or otherwise suffered under the ravages of the Soviet communist
and Nazi regimes.

The region of Central and Eastern Europe is currently experiencing stress from a number of sources. The most serious one is that the peace and stability attained after the collapse of the Soviet Union are again severely threatened. Events in Ukraine are the most visible, but they are by far not the only troubling developments. The goals of building and sustaining democracy require ongoing implementation of economic and political reforms, such as fighting corruption. The current situation in Central and Eastern Europe is of major concern to Americans of Central and East European descent. The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC) is an alliance of U.S.-based ethnic organizations representing over 20 million such Americans.

A number of Members of Congress and their staffs have recently visited the region. The CEEC is organizing a briefing session in the Capitol Visitor Center, on September 16, 2015, during which Members and staff have been asked to share their thoughts about visits to the region – why it was important to make the visits, with whom they met, what were their impressions, what was accomplished, what follow-up is expected, etc. Thus, we kindly invite you to attend.

The briefing session will begin at 4:45 p.m. and will last till 6 p.m. The briefing will take place in CVC (House) Room 200. Constituents from various CEEC organizations will be in attendance to ask questions and add their views.

For further information and to RSVP, please contact Michael Sawkiw, Jr., Director at the Ukrainian National Information Service ([email protected], tel. 202-547-0018), or Karl Altau, Managing Director, Joint Baltic American National Committee ([email protected], tel. 301-340-1954).